Holder and protector for collapsible paste tubes



June 12, 1951 F. J. Hol-'MANN 2,556,584

HOLDER ANO PROTECTOR EOR OOLLARSIBLE PASTE TUBES Filed OCT.. 4, 1950 if l IN V EN TOR.

Bym/MW my?? J Hof/www Patented `une 12,1951

STATS EN? FFICE kHOLDER AND PROTECTOR `FOR GOL- LAPSIBLE PASTE TUBES 3 Claims.

. This invention relates to holders for tooth cleansing articles, and aims .primarily to provide a novel, practical, useful and inexpensive holder and protector for collapsible paste tubes containing toothpaste or .other substances. With the paste tube mounted .in the protector of this invention, it is readily accessible for immediate use, and when not in use the protector confines the tube therewithin and prevents it from being inadvertently crushed. A modied form of the invention may also be provided, wherein the protector may hold a toothbrush as well as the paste tube.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be. clarified in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered Vparts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended solely for the purpose 'of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the protector, with the cap removed, illustrating the slide in which the paste tube is mounted, in extended position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlargement, also in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing a modied form of paste tube cap.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away and partly in section, of the protector body.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View, with parts broken away and partly in section, of the slide perse.

Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of protector adapted to contain a toothbrush in addition to a paste tube.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the protector and slide of Fig. '7, with parts .broken away and partly in section.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral IU indicates the hollow body of the protector, which includes the cylindrical wall II and the closed end or bottom I2. At diametrically opposed positions on the wall II, adjacent the open end of the body I a longitudinal strip I3 is formed by providing a pair of spaced parallel 2 cuts orslits I4 through the body II. Intermediatethe length of each strip I3 a boss l5 is formed on the outside of the strip. The strips I3 obviously possess a ylimited degree of resiliency.

At two other diametrically opposed positions, preferably lying in a plane parallel with the strips i3, a pair of longitudinal rails I6 are formed inside the wall l I, and these rails may be formed by pressing in the sides of the bodyY Iii to form grooves Il on the outer surface of the body. The rails iS extend back vfrom the open nd of the body if] for a relatively short distance as compared with the length of the body I0.

An approximately semi-cylindrical slide I8 is provided 'and is registrable slidably in the body I with the opposed straight edges i9 thereof positionedl under and in slidable contact with the rails I6, it being understood that a small amount of clearance is left between the edges I9 and the rails I6. The forward end of the slide i8 is provided With an upstanding disc-shaped plate 2i] provided with a round opening 2l therethrough. The paste tube 22 is mounted in the slide I8, as shown, with the threaded neck 23 thereof extending through the opening 2l in the plate 20, and it is releasably locked therein by means of the screw cap 24 of the paste tube, as is obvious. In order to prevent Withdrawal of the slide I8 through the open end of the body It, each edge I9 of the slide, at the rear extremity thereof, is provided With a right-angled upstanding lug 25 which engages the rear end of the rail I6 when the slide I8 is moved outward from the body.

A cylindrical cover or cap 26 is provided to cover and close the open end of the body I0, with the slide i3 positioned home in the body as shown in Fig. 2. This cover is slidable over the open end of the body Io, and is provided, intermediate its length, with an internal circumferential groove 2l. It is apparent that as the cover 26 is slid over the yopen end of the body Ill, the p01- tion 28 of the cover first engages and presses inward the two bosses l5; and When the groove 2l' arrives at the positions of the bosses I5, the latter will be urged outward by the strips I3 to register in the said groove. Thus, the cover 26 may be applied to the body without rst having to turn the cover on its axis.

The roof 29 of the cover 26 has, against the inside thereof, a lining of soft or sponge rubber 3E, and against the lining 30 a disc 3l of aluminum foil or the like is mounted. This lined cover is particularly useful in connection with the form of paste tube cap 24a shown in Fig. 3, the roof of which is punctured or otherwise provided 3 with an axial opening 32. In order to use and squeeze paste from the tube 22 of Fig. 3, it is therefore not necessary to remove the cap 24a, as all that need be done after removing the cover 26 is to slide the slide I8 into the extended position shown in Fig. 1, and then squeeze the tube. When the cover 26 is applied as shown in Fig. 3, the cushioned lining 3l, 30 serves as a seal to the open passage 32 in the cap 24a. In the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the body 10a is open at both ends and is of greater length than the body l; it therefore has two caps 26a, and it is also provided at one end with two rails Ilia. The slide Ilia which retains the tube 22 in the same manner as before described, has a longitudinal slot 33 extending from its left-hand end a short distance to the right. A complementary boss 34, formed to project inward from the wall l la, registers slidably in the slot 34 and serves as a rearward limit stop to the movement of the slide 18a. In this form of the device, removal of the rear or left-hand cover 26a permits removal or insertion of a toothbrush 35 in the manner illustrated, so that this modified form serves to carry the toothbrush as well as the paste tube 22. Those parts in Figs. 7 and 8 which bear the same references numerals as parts in the other iigures of the drawing, followed by the letter a, are similar or identical to said parts in the other gures.

Obviously, modications in form 0r structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

It should be noted that th slits I4 also provide openings or vents for the escape of air from the body l0 during mounting of the cap 26 or 26a, as well as for intake of air during removal of the cap.

I claim:

l. A device of the class described comprising a hollow cylindrical body, said body having diametrically opposed longitudinal rails extending partway of the length of the body from one end of the body on the inside of the body, a substantially semi-cylindrical slide slidably mounted in said body, said slide having opposed parallel longitudinal edges registering slidably against said rails, said slide at the other end of the body having upwardly extending lugs adapted to engage the inner ends of said rails when said slide is moved through said one end of the body, the other end of said slide having a plate thereon substantially disc-shaped and at right angles to the axis of the slide, said plate having an opening therethrough, said slide being adapted to have a paste tube positioned therein with the threaded neck of the tube extending through said opening, said tube being adapted to be locked in said slide by threadable engagement of the paste tube cap on said threaded neck, and a removable cover for said one end of said body.

2. The device set forth in claim 1, said cover being cylindrical and adapted to slide over said open end of said body, and means partly on said body and partly -on said cover for releasably locking said cover on the body.

3. The device set forth in claim 1, said cover being cylindrical and adapted to slide over said open end of said body, said cover having an'internal circumferential groove intermediate the length thereof, said body near said one end thereof having a pair of spaced longitudinal slits therethrough thereby providing a longitudinal strip between said slits, said slit having an outwardly projecting boss intermediate its length, said boss registering in said groove when said cover is positioned home on said body.

FRANK JOSEPH HOFMANN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Finley Mar. 15, 19378 Number 

